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| What if a mere $10/month could assist these boys in getting off the streets? |
We are so eager to get to Addis to begin our work with Make Your Mark Ethiopia. Things are starting to fall into place and we can see God all over the selling of our house. Once our house officially sales, we will basically have our bags packed and ready to head out to Ethiopia! However, there is one thing keeping us from doing that...monthly supporters. Or the lack thereof actually. Everything seems to be falling into place for our big move except for the commitments of monthly financial partners.
We are currently at $1005/month or 22% (we can make the move @ 70%) of our needed monthly support. That $1005 consists of only 15 monthly partners...only 15! We are extremely thankful for those 15 partners, as well as all of our one time gifts that have come in. We are currently at 55% of our needed $35,700 up front costs which is covered by your one-time gifts. We feel confident that we'll "easily" reach our up front costs with the proceeds from selling our home, belongings, and cars. However, like I said earlier, we'll have our bags packed, ready to go, but we won't be able to leave for Ethiopia because the monthly supporter funds won't be anywhere close to what we'll need to sustain us to stay there.
We'd be lying if we said we weren't disappointed in the current number of monthly financial partners. When we started the process of fundraising back in September, we had hoped to be around 50-60% funded by this point. We knew that fundraising would be difficult, but we never thought it would be this difficult or slow.
We've brainstormed and racked our brains trying to figure out the reason for the lack of giving and commitments to give monthly to the mission and calling that God's placed on our family. There are really three main reasons we believe people aren't jumping on board or waiting to jump on board.
1) "I'll wait until they actually move to make sure they are truly committed to going."
I don't really blame this group for their reasoning and logic. However, we are fully committed to this and are doing everything in our power to make the move to Ethiopia. Our hearts and minds are already in Addis. Our bodies just haven't caught up with them yet. We have a love and passion for the forgotten children and families of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that can only be pruned and cultivated by God. There is no reason to wait to begin giving monthly. In fact, the sooner you begin giving, the better we are able to plan and set a date in stone to make the move.
2) "I don't have $40, $50, $100 etc. to give every month."
This may be absolutely true. However, we graciously and appreciatively accept all monthly commitments. You would be surprised at the dent it would make in our monthly needs if we had an army of people giving at $5 or even $10/month. If 220 individuals would decide to sacrifice $10/month, we would be 70% funded and could make the move to Ethiopia. We know that between the two of us, we have well above 220 individuals who are a part of our lives, whether it be family, friends, or church family. With that being said, don't be ashamed of your current ability to give. We want you to experience the joy of giving whether it's $5/month or $500/month!
3) "My monthly contribution wouldn't really make a difference."
This my friends is a lie from the enemy! We witnessed the difference that monthly giving is making in the lives of street children and the poorest of the poor families in Addis. Street boys are stepping from death into life. Street boys are going to school for possibly the first time in their lives and excelling! Street boys are finding a safe place to find dignity, love, and the Gospel. Children of desperate families are able to go to school without being a financial burden to their parents. Muslim families are experiencing the love, grace, hope, and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ through the programs of Make Your Mark Ethiopia. Your monthly support would make a bigger difference in the lives of the least of these more than you could probably realize...no matter how big or small the amount! It takes the generosity of us all to make this happen...not just the generosity of the few "privileged"or spiritual "elite".
The heart of the matter is that this is a matter of the heart.
It boils down to where your heart is.
Matthew 6:21 reads, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
I have to challenge you to ponder...where do you find your treasure in this life?
Do you find it in your salary? Your home? The latest and greatest iPhone? Your daily cup of Starbucks? Your Netflix subscription? Your 401k? Your bank account?
Or...just maybe...do you recognize that the treasure in this short lifetime is found in serving others and leading them from death in sin to eternal life in Jesus Christ?
Do you realize that our treasure or our money's true power to unlock unspeakable joy is actually in giving it away, rather than storing it up in the attempt to build our own kingdom here on earth?
So imagine with me for a second, what giving up that one $5 cup of Starbucks a month could do.
It could help bring a boy off of the dirty streets of Addis so that boy no longer has to endure constant harassment and beatings from police.
It could prevent this child from having to endure nightly sexual assaults from sexual predators.
Can a mere $5 make any difference at all?
I say yes.
Would you miss that $5 or $10 a month?
Absolutely not.
If you are reading this, I challenge you to click the link below and set your giving up at $5 or $10 a month. At least start at that amount. See what the Lord does in your heart as money's hold on your life begins to dissipate. I pray that He does a great work in your life as you learn that it is truly more blessed to give than to receive.
You can set up your monthly giving HERE! Make sure to designate your giving in the "Thomas Support" box.
"Be concerned for the poor – but be no less concerned for us rich who claim not to be rich so we can excuse ourselves from giving.
Be concerned for the poor – but no less concerned for us who have
done just enough to assuage our consciences, just enough to pat ourselves on
the back, but not enough that we’ve ever felt sacrifice.
Be concerned for the poor – but be no less concerned for us who
aren’t — because someday we will face Christ.
We’re all hungry
for uncomfortable because we’re hungry for God – and He is outside of our
comfort zones." ~ Ann Voskamp
